Spacing instrument



Sept- 24, 1 R. w. SCHWEIMLER ET AL 1,729,523

SPACING INSTRUMENT Filed Sept. 20. 1927 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE ROBERT W. SCHWEIMLER, OF EMSWORTH, AND GERARD C. CHIRICHIGNO, OF PITTSBURGH, PENN SYLVANIA- SPACING- INSTRUMENT Application filed September 20, 1927. Serial No. 220,764.

This invention relates to a spacing instrument, the general object of the invention being to provide a device for facilitating the dividing of work pieces and the like into equal spaces. For instance, the device may be used for marking the points where rivet holes are to be bored in a piece of steel or the like.

Another object of the invention is to attach a rule to the device so that the distance between the first pair of marks may be measured.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts,

to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing our invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the device.

Figure 2 is a view of the front end thereof.

Figure 3 is a view of the opposite end.

Figure 4: is a section on line 44 of Figure 1.

As shown in these drawings, the device is composed of a plurality of pairs of levers, one lever of each pair being indicated at 1 and the other at 2. A rivet 3 or the like pivotally connects the levers of each pair together at the centers of the levers and the ends of each pair of levers are pivoted to the ends of the adjacent pairs of levers, as shown at 4. A pair of short links 5 have their outer ends pivotally connected with the ends of each outer pair of levers and the links of each pair of links have their inner ends pivotally connected together, as shown at 6. A handle 6 is connected with the rivet 6 of the front pair of links and a wing nut 7 is threaded on the end of the belt or rivet of the rear pair of the links. Each of the levers 2, on its front edge is formed with a pair of notches 8, each notch being an equal distance from the rivet 8 and the end of the lever. A hole 9 is formed adjacent each notch 8. These notches and holes are designed to indicate where the marks on the work piece are to be made, each notch being adapted to receive a flat pointed marker and each hole being designed to use a marker with a round point. Each outer lever 1 is formed with a notch 8 midway between its center and its lower end for use when a half space similar material. The usual method of spac g ing is by means of a pair of dividers or compasses, which are set to the required space and the number of spaces then stepped off. The number of spaces usually must equal a. certain total distance, and as it is practically impossible to set the dividers closely or accurately enough, the usual result is that the spacing overruns or under-runs, and the dividers must be adjusted and the steppingoff process repeated until the last step ends at the total distance mar This is the custom ary method of spacing holes in boiler shops, tank shops, structural fabricating shops, ornamental iron works and shipbuilding plants.

With our spacing device, the total distance is first marked off on the work, the left end notch is then placed on the starting mark and the device clamped in position. The layer-out then takes the arm or lever numbered with the same number as the number of spaces he wants, and extends it until its notch is on the total distance mark. The intermediate notches will then be equally spaced and marks can be made in each notch by means of a crayon or scriber.

If an odd number of spaces is required which is greater than the capacity of the device, the total distance is first laid off, then half the distance is marked. The device is then set so the half space notch 8 is on the center line and the spacing carried out each way from the center line.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of our invention will be readily apparent.

We desire it to be understood that we may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What we claim is A device of the class described comprising a plurality of levers arranged in pairs with the levers of each pair pivotally connected together at their centers, with their ends pivotally connected with the ends of the levers of adjacent pairs, a pair of short links having their outer ends pivotally connected with the ends of each pair of end levers, the inner ends ofthe short links of each pair being pivotally connected together, one lever of each pair of intermediate levers having marking openings therein, a rule pivotally connected with one of the links, a handle connected with the pivotal point of the two links of one pair and clamping means at the pivotal point of the links of the other pair.

In testimony whereof we aliix our signatures.

ROBERT W. SCHWEIMLER. GERARD O. CI-IIRICHIGNO. 

